The Arizona sentinel., 1887-11-26
MExI CAN HAMMocKs.
How They Are Made by the Yucatan
 ,1iaus nut of nacfTs Finer

How They Are Made by the Yucatan In-
 dians Out of Cactus Fiber.
 With couple of straight poles, a homemade shuttle, thin slab of na- live zapoli wood, and a pile of heni- quen leaves, the Indian of Yucatan is prepared to accept contracts for ham, mocks by the piece, dozen or hundred. The poles are placed certain distance apart, according to the length of the hammock to be made. The thin slab of wood is rapidly fashioned with the aid of sharp machette, into a tonkas, or stripper. By the aid of this tonkas the fiber of the thick, fleshy heniquen leaf, which is species of cactus, is denuded of its covering, and a wisp of hatchkil. or rasped fiber, is the result.
 The hatchkil is bleached in the sun, and then becomes s9skiI. These are then separated into small heaps, con- taining about the same number of fibers. When inc entire supply on hand is thus laid out, the operator takes out the fibers, and with dex- ferrous roll between the palm of the hand and the knee. transforms them into heavy cords, or kuns. as the na- tives call them.
 Out of this cord the hammocks are made The cord is wound around the two poles which have been planted in the ground and the work is turned 4l, 4t,as, wide shuttles, accomplish the rest of the task in rem arkablY rapid and thorough manner. When pile has accumulated the contractor comes around and gathers them up.
 The relations between the operator and contractor are very peculiar and would exist nowhere else in the world. In order to get the hammOcks neces- sary for his trade the contractor must often pay for them months Tn advance, as it is only when the natives owe money that they will consent to work. In order to get chance to owe this money the native will promise to fur nish the contractor, whom he knows, with number of hammocks at cer- tain time if the contractor will advance 8 sum of money. On this money the enterprising native can1ive in idleness for several months. The contractor agrees to this. If he doesn't he can get no hammocks But once the na- tive has bound himself to supply the goods they will be forthcoming at the time stipulated. Should death inter- vene his relatives perform the con- tract.
 But this advance system is sore drain on the contractor. who is rarely a person of large capital He must of necessity accommodate the natives and he needs outside help to do so. This help he obtains in the shape of ad- vances from the merchants in Merida. to whom he turns over the hammocks he secures at considerable advance over the amount they have cost him. These Merida merchants in turn send the goods 10 their New York corre- spondents.
 The hammocks are carefully sorted in Merida before they are baled for shipment to the United States, which absorbs almost the entire production. Last year it amounted to nearly $50,- 900. All the districts of Yucatan pro- ducc greater or lesser quantity of hammocks, but the Tixcoco district is by far the largest producer. sending out. it is calculated, every year as many as the rest of the State put to- gether. The finest specimens of the hammock-maker's art, however, come from Chemax. But few of these ever find their way to the United States. They are so eagerly sought after at home that there is no necessity for sending them away, especially as good prices are realized on the ground. = N r. Euenirlg Sun.